You can find many types of chain saw sharpeners on the market. They run from the round file, manual operation, to the fancy electric ones that work well for small jobs, to the professional units that you can use to run a chainsaw sharpening business.

The simplest type is a round hand held file that you bring with you to the job site. It is inexpensive and works to get you out of a bind should you ding your chain in the field.

Even professional loggers carry hand held chain sharpeners. They only cost a few dollars, and can save you time and money if you cut wood for a business. You need to pick a file that matches your chain and the teeth pitch. The most common sizes are 1/4″ and 3/8″ files.

You use the round file along with a hand held guide that fits on your chain to maintain the correct angle as you sharpen your saw. This type is inexpensive and can be purchased for about $15 in many hardware stores.

Moving on up you can buy an electric chainsaw sharpener. These sell for about $75, such as the Garrett Wade 115V 45T01.01 or the Garrett Wade 45T01.02. You can get these with an automatic chain feed.

Another type of chainsaw chain sharpener is a bar mounted guide. This types of sharpener can be taken with you and used in the back of your truck. The guide is secured to the bar of your chainsaw. These units cost about $100.

Finally, you can buy a professional bench mounted chain saw sharpener. This is what your dealer uses. Unless you are going into the business this probably wont pay for itself because you do not want to get a cheap model. The less expensive units do not cut the curved shape of the tooth.

If you do any amount of work with a chainsaw, buying a hand held sharpener to use on a regular basis between professional sharpenings will be the best investment you can make.

Hearing protection ear plugs include disposable foam plugs, moldable silicone plugs, moldable wax plugs, pre-molded silicone and rubber plugs.

Poly Urethane Foam Ear Plugs (Disposable)

Poly Urethane Foam Ear Plugs are the softest foam plugs available. They are designed to be rolled into a thin cylinder, then inserted deeply into the ear where they expand to fit.  Some are available with a cord to hang around your neck.  That can get in the way though, so try them out before you buy a hundred.

Some brands and their NRR rating are listed below:

MAX NRR 33
LaserLite NRR 32
MaxLite NRR 30
3-M 1100 NRR 29
EarSoft Yellow Neon Blast NRR 32
Sleep/Rest EAR plugs NRR 32

PVC Foam Plugs (Disposable)

PVC foam plugs are stiffer than the urethane foam plugs and are not tapered.  You need to make sure they are inserted properly to get the most benefit.

Classic NRR 29
SuperFit 33 NRR 33
Quiet! Please–Industrial NRR 29

Moldable Silicone Plugs (Reusable)

Moldable silicone plugs are soft and best suited for water protection and moderate noise protection in clean environments.  This can include sleeping, studying and biking. They are sticky and form a seal against the outer surface of the ear.  They are very comfortable but they can get dirty and can not be cleaned effectively.

Mack’s Pillow Soft Silicone NRR 22
Flent’s Sealrite NRR 21

Wax plugs are unique in that they contain cotton fibers which hold the wax together. Body heat will soften the wax allowing it to shape to your ear and seal without exerting any pressure.  This makes them very comfortable, but they are not a good choice for hot or active environments.

Flent’s Ear Stopples NRR 25

Pre-Molded Silicone Rubber Plugs (Reusable)

Pre-molded silicone rubber plugs come in all shapes and sizes and are designed for noise, water, music, flying pressure, and shooting. You need to get a good fit, and they are best bought over the counter where you can try them out. They can be washed and reused.  They may not meet the NRR ratings of the foam plugs but they can last for years. If you can find a pair that fits you well, they can be the most economical choice.

The general guideline is – Make sure that you always use some form of hearing protection when using your Stihl Chainsaw.

Foam plugs are common and inexpensive.  They offer a wide range of noise reduction levels.  They also come in many styles such as corded and uncorded.  Because they are inexpensive they are typically tossed after each use so they are a good choice for infrequent use. They typically have a maximum NRR of 33 with NRR22 being on the low end.  However at the highest level of noise reduction you can not hear someone calling to you or walking up to you – which can be startling. This can be reduced by only purchasing the maximum level of protection that you need.  Since the rating scale is logarithmic each drop in value, say from 33 to 32 represents a ten fold reduction in noise protection.

Pre-molded silicone rubber plugs have many benefits over the foam plugs.  They offer the same range of protection but they are more durable so they last longer, representing a better value. Some models allow normal speech range frequencies to pass while blocking the higher frequencies. Other models block all the frequencies, which are good for the load environment of your new Stihl Chainsaw. These plugs are sold in several sizes becuase they are not form fitting like the foam models, and must be fit tested to work properly.

Wax and silicone plugs offer the same range of protection and can be useful if you have trouble finding other ear plugs to fit. These types are molded to fit you specifically.  They are designed to enclose the outer ear area making a seal against the outer ear.  They typically are more comfortable but because they are soft they get dirty easily and are not good for most work related jobs.  The wax plugs can easily get dirty, making them unusable, and are normally only suitable for sleeping or studying.  Wax plugs also melt – not good for hot environments.

Another option is to combine ear plugs and ear muffs.  You can wear a pair of ear plugs that provide some level of protection and allow you hear others around you, but you can supplement the protection with ear muffs when you are actually using your chainsaw.

The proper selection for hearing protection while using your Stihl Chainsaw can be a tradeoff between sound protection and comfort.  If they do not fit or feel right you will not use them at all, which is worse than wearing a pair that offers a little less protection, but one that you will use consistantly.

NRR, noise reduction rating, is a standard noise reduction “C” rated scale mandated by OSHA.  The effect of noise on the human body is typically referenced to the “A” weighted scale.  This is what should be used when comparing hearing protection devices.  You can convert from the “C” scale to the “A” scale be subtracting 7 from each number.   Each noise reduction device has a NRR rating.  So you can find out its performance based upon your expected noise levels by subtracting 7 from the NRR, then subtracting that result from the dBA noise level that you expect to encounter.

A typical chain saw has a rating of 120 dBA.  The earplug you are considering has a NRR of 29 – pretty good.  The final noise value would be 98 dBA.  Noise source 120dBA minus the 7 for the correction value minus 29 for the hearing protection value results in (120-29-7)=98, which is still dangerous and would only allow for a 2 hour exposure. If you use an ear plug with an RR of 33, the effective noise level gets reduced 94 dBA (120-33-7)=94, which would allow for a 4 hour exposure, to meet OSHA standards.

The duration of the sound levels that you encounter is important. Typically you will not be exposed to the maximum 120 dBA of the chainsaw for a full 4 or 8 hours a day- there is a lot of down time and operation at lower sound levels.  The shorter the time you are exposed, the less the danger to your hearing.  A few things to know:

*  The sound does not have to hurt to damage your hearing. Exposure to very loud concert music for a few hours can cause tinnitus (a ringing or buzzing in the ear) that will affect you for the rest of your life.  It can also reduce your ability to hear high frequencies.  This will have a lasting effect on your music listening pleasure.

* Hearing damage is cumulative. It never repairs itself.  A little damage from fireworks, plus a little from operating your stihl chainsaw and a little more from the rock concert, will slowly but noticeably impair your hearing.

* The louder the sound, the faster damage.  If you are exposed to loud sounds make sure you either get away, cover your ears with your hands or put on hearing protection very quickly. Seconds count.

OK – So you want to buy a Stihl chainsaw. The first thing you need to decide is what you need to use the chainsaw for. I know, I know – cutting wood. But whether you buy a Stihl, Homelite or Husqvarna you still need to know how you are going to use it.

By that I mean are you going to use it for commercial or professional use, regular use, or homeowner light duty. For professional use you will need a chainsaw that is designed for continuous heavy duty operation. Most manufacturers have a commercial or pro line.

For regular use these chainsaws have the same general design as a pro saw. However the engine is not as otimized and has a slightly lower all around performance capability.

For lite duty or home use these design is optimized for ease of use vs performance. All saws have similar designs – some are just more forgiving.

So when you get ready to buy your outdoor power equipment here are a few things to remember:

1. Prime importance is safety. Make sure you check out the recommended safety equipment. Your dealer can show you chaps, faceshield with tearoffs, hearing protection, gloves and shoes.

2. Determine the type of work you are going to do and the size of the trees you need to cut up.

3. Weight. Remember you will be carring this thing around all day. The larger engine weighs, more but can get the job done faster.

4. Wood type. What type and size of wood you will be cutting factors into your chainsaw selection. Get the proper bar length. The larger the engine, the longer bar you can get.

5. Ergonomic. The unit should not transmit a lot of vibration to your hands, should be well balanced, and have a high center of gravity. This will make the saw easier to use for long periods of time.

6. Safety features. Make sure it has the required kickback protection, this is pretty much standard unless you get some no name unit. Make sure it is easy to replcae the chain catcher stud, you probably will break it off at least once at the most inopportune time.

7. How about winter work. Some pro units have heated handles. That can be a big plus for comfort and efficiency if you work all winter long.

8. Make sure you can you service and maintain the saw easily. Have your outdoor power equipment dealer show you how to replace the filter and spark plug. Make sure it is easy to get to the chain tensioning nuts and screws.

9. Service. Make sure you get your chainsaw serviced regularly by the dealer. Your dealer can also provide additional advice and tips for maintaining and using your saw.

10. When you buy your Stihl chainsaw make sure you get the recommended bar oil and maybe an extra chainsaw chain.

Most of all, use your saw carefully. Too many accidents happen when you are careless or have not kept the saw properly maintained.